Whenever I was little I used to love watching National Treasures with my mom, yes I was that kid but I loved the movies and so did my mom. The adventure and mystery always kept me going so whenever we had a movie night I would choose those movies. In the first movie Ben Gates and Riley Poole stole the Declaration of the United States because behind it was their next clue to the treasure. Their clues are similar to what my mother has laid out for us so then maybe the way we can see our next clue is if we do what the people in the movie did.

"Thea, can you please tell us now what's going in your head?" Raph said.

"Yes please cause honestly I never saw this many lemons in my whole life," Leo said.

I roll my eyes.

"Well,my theory is off of a movie I used to watch with my mother. They basically lightly spread the lemon juice over the back of the painting and used a heating tool to make the writing invisible."

"So you're basically going off of a movie that might be or might not be completely accurate?" Asher asks.

I shrug my shoulders. "This is my only lead."

"Fantastic," he mutters.

"Well, do you have a better plan?" I snap.

He glares at me. "You should try respecting your elders Cahill."

"For God's sakes your only a few years older Martinez!" I yell.

"And those few years hold more knowledge and hard work than your whole twenty years put together!"

At least he knowledges that I am twenty at least.

"Guys you can argue about whose mama gave birth first but we really need to paint some lemon juice on this first," Leo interjects.

"Leo's right erm.....kind of," Char says.

I pick up the brush to spread the juice but Asher stops me.

"What now Martinez?" I groan

"I don't think you should do it," He said.

"Of course, you don't. Would your majesty happen to want to do it?"

"Actually, I took a class over taking care of artifacts in college," Char says.

"Let the big kids do it, Thea. If you want I can enroll you back to pre-k, they let you paint there all day."

I glare at him.

" You know since you know it all, you should know when to shut the fuck up."

His eyes go dark as they did when he was about to hit me and it scared the living crap out of me. I took a step back and Caleb came between us.

"Asher calm down. Let's focus on the task on hand."

He nods and positions his face to look at the painting. Char already started and is delicately brushing the lemon just enough. While she does that I stare at Asher's cold face and dark black eyes.

Why does he do that all time?

Is this the same guy that laughed with me and saved me from death?

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"I still don't know why I can't come," Char whines.

"Char for the last time it's too dangerous," Raph said.

"But Thea's going!"

"Yeah Thea doesn't have much of a choice," I mutter glaring at Asher.

After the night of the argument, he had been keeping to himself and ignoring me. Not surprising but I thought we would get along after the talk we had.

"Char it's too dangerous. Trust me if you want I will get you a souvenir when we leave," I said.

"Fine," she groans.

Raph gives her a quick kiss and we all pile into the car. Our next clue is somewhere in my mom's old house in London but instead of going there directly we are making a stop at San Frisco. The boys supposedly have a few business to take care of.

We reach San Frisco before noon and head to our private hotel we would be staying in. The boys got to share one suite with about three rooms while I got the room close to their's that was fairly large.

Tired from the journey I sat down on my couch. The police are slowly dying off of my back and I had a feeling one of the boys has to do with it. Fournatatly, no one noticed the fake Mona Lisa that was in France but they did close the museum for clean up and to make sure the painting was safe. I honestly had no idea what we were going to do with the painting.

Wanting to clear my head I take a quick shower and change into some clean clothes. I open up my duffel bag and pull out the next clue written on a piece of paper since Asher didn't trust me with the painting.

My next clue will lead you to your final destination. Everything is wrapping up to where it all started. Everything happened here; life, friendship, love, betrayal, and death.

I pulled out a necklace I found the last day at the cabin. Inside it was a note yet again by my mother but addressed to be directly.

Dear Thea,

If you're reading this then you're probably almost done with the quest.However, this journey is far from over Thea. There will be a lot more heartbreak and secrets revealed that will question who you are. Friends will turn into enemies and your enemies will be your friends but I will always be your mother Thea and never forget that. Never lose sight of who you are cause you the only person who decides that... no one else.

You're no alone Thea, you never were and you will never be.

I didn't understand what she meant about betrayal and secrets being revealed but for some reason, I felt like I didn't want to know.

I heard a throat being cleared and I jumped from surprise. Asher was standing at the doorway of my room leaning against the frame.

He's wearing his signature dark black suit and an expensive looking watch. His built body was outlined by his well-fitted suit making me stare little more than intended and his eyes were chocolate brown which means he was in a good mood. He tossed me a bag and I quickly caught it with my hand. Looking through it I realized it's a beautiful long black dress with heart shape neckline that had an outline of diamonds. The dress felt so delicate and soft under my touch that I felt like I would ruin it.

"You got five minutes Cahill."

I snap my head to look at him but he's already left.

"What?" I yell more to myself.

"Four"

"Okay! Jesh!"

I quickly try to fix my hair and apply some makeup that I found in the drawers.

"Two!"

I apply a few more touches than put on my gorgeous dress. But I had a tiny problem.... I didn't have any shoes that would go with a dress like this. I mean the only shoes I have are my high top converse and I don't think wearing those with this dress would be appropriate.

"Times up!"

Groaning I step out of my room. "I don't have any shoes!"

The boys were all wearing their suits and they all snapped their heads to look at me. Leo's jaw literally dropped and Caleb's eyes went wide.

"Oh yeah the shoes are over there on the table," Raph said unfazed.

"Thank you and Leo darling there's no flies here to catch I am afraid."

Walking over to the table I pulled out my shoes and my jaw drops.

What the hell?!

"I bought them and chose them," Leo said proudly.

"You brought me death," I ask.

Leo's smile flatters and looks at me confused.

"Leo, listen for the last couple of weeks I have been almost killed numerous times so do you think buying me fucking six-inch heels would help me?!"

"I thought girls likes heels."

"Well, I am not your regular girl bud."

"Too bad Cahil we are already late you either wear them or not."

"Fine," I said making up my mind.

*****************************************************************************

I walked into the formal ball party hosted by one of Asher's investors barefoot. I rather die than walk in those death traps so I walked barefoot. Thank heavens the dress was long cause then it would have been super weird having people stare at your feet.

"I still don't know why I have to be here. Don't these people know I am a wanted criminal," I ask Caleb.

"Actually no, most of these people are from different countries so you should be fine plus no one will dare tell on you if you're seen with Asher."

Isn't that just lovely.

Music and talking fill the air as well as the smell of gourmet foods as I stand there and watch. As I was slowly getting bored something got my attention. Confused I walk over towards to him and tap his shoulder. He turns around and his confused face instantly turns into a warm smile.

"Thea?"

"Mike?"

"What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here"

"Um... well I am with the company I got hired in a few weeks ago," he replies. "You?"

I shrug. "Honestly, I don't even know."

"Please tell me you didn't break into the party for the free food."

"What no! Fine if you want a answer think it as my plan of clearing up my shit," I said referring what he told me to do back when I was breaking into the office.

"Well, how's that turning out for you?"

"Peachy."

"Where are you staying?"

"A room in this hotel. You?"

"Um.... my boss has a place," He said nervously. "Listen, Thea, it's nice seeing you but I really go to go."

He gave me a quick hug then hurried away. Well, that was weird. He didn't ask me how I was doing or tell me funny but not so funny jokes like he usually does. Mike to me seemed nervous and all jittery for some reason. Feeling like I should take to him I run after him but before I exit the ballroom I knock into someone.

Papers goes everywhere on the ground and I start picking it up for the old man but a word makes me stop.

The name was written on one of the pieces of paper but before I could read it the papers were snatched from me. Looking up my eyes meet very familiar stormy grey eyes and sharp yet soft face. My eyes went wide as I toke in the man in front of me and my breathing became uneven.

God no!

His hair was much more grey than brown but a few strands were peeking out here a there. Like everyone else, he was wearing a suit and tie but he looked more tensed. He looked so different.

"Thank you," he said quickly and left.

Even his voice was different than I remembered.

How can this be?

This isn't possible.

We walked out without even recognizing me which sends a bit of pain to my heart.

How was he still alive?

Why didn't he even acknowledge me?

Did he forget who I was?

No. He isn't real, Thea. There's no way he could be real, no absolute way. He isn't real yet he seemed so real. A question still lingered in the back of my head as my brain was in war with itself as it decided what it just saw.

How could a father forget his own daughter?

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